carptom1
Well-known member
Thought I would share some experiences of a recent trip to SD.
Day 1
Left home for SD at 4:30 am. Was a little sad as my long time hunting partner had to back out last minute as his mother needed emergency surgery. Arrived in Jones county at around 1:30. It was a good sign as I had to slow down several times to avoid pheasants in the road. I changed into some hunting clothes and headed out solo with the dog. The others that were joining me, would not be there yet. The dog and I walked a couple of small patches with only a few hen flushes. We then entered a small draw of tumbleweed. The temps were 20 degrees and falling. There was 4 inches of snow and it started snowing again. As we entered the draw a couple hens popped, then two roosters. I shot like crap my last trip, but not today. I dumped one to the right and one to the left. At the sound of my shotgun all hell broke loose with a 30+ bird flush. Because I still had not retrieved both birds, I refrained from shooting again. The dog brought both birds back and we continued on. When we got to the end a single bird rose and I dumped him in the milo stubble. Three birds with three shots, been awhile for me. The temps really started to drop then. Great way to start.
Day 2
Woke up to -15 air temp
Thankfully light winds. The others had joined me so we now had a group of 5. We decided to hit a shelterbelt where I had seen 20-30 birds the afternoon before. I took the middle with the dog and the others the sides with two blockers at the end. About half wat through all hell broke loose. I watched 250+ birds blow out the middle. Hard to do with only five guy's. Pretty cool to watch. We got a few that were tight, so we decided to walk back through. We made it back to the trucks, and decided to take a little break. It was something to watch my dog go back into the trees and flush at least four more hens out. I told one of the guy's he should go back down cause you know a rooster is coming. About that time up pops a rooster which is promptly missed. Finally the dog had had enough and caught a live rooster and brought it up to us. Pretty good stuff.
We then split up and worked some grass out where many birds had gone. 5 man limit at 11:30. Kinda early but it was still -7 so not too much complaining. We cleaned birds had some lunch then went out exploring. If you have never seen the habitat over by reliance and kennebec it is pretty darn awesome. Mile after mile of shelterbelts, food plots and great looking land. It was great to see. There must have been birds cause we saw a ton of eagles. They need to cut down those single trees by draws, they look like death traps.
Day 3
Temp 8 degrees and sunny. Great day to hunt with light winds. We started in another honey hole around a small pond. We needed to push birds out so we could hunt them in the grass and cattails. Last year there were a ton of birds there, but with numbers down, I was skeptical. We were suprised to find 150 or so. We shot a few then headed to the cattails where they always go. We hunted the cattails for quite awhile getting a few birds. Early on I hit one twice that wobbled and wobbled, but wouldn't come down. I watched him glide several hundred yards, we would go down and look for him later. After the cattails, we started hunting some drifted over grass. My dog had one pinned in a clump in front, he flushed going away to my right. I dropped him and he landed in a crusted drift. As he scrambled along the drift, the dog tore after him along the driftline. I love watching a dog with a strong prey drive. He was sinking in the crusted snow to his shoulders, while the rooster was running along the top. After 60 or 70 yards, not to be denied, he caught it. He was really huffing when he finished the retrieve. I wish the ding-dong that says Labs have no stamina could have seen that. We then turned where I had seen the other bird land from the cattails. The dog found him under a drift and brought him to me. I was done shooting for the day, so I enjoyed working the dog without a gun for the rest of the day. JonnyB and myself became tour guide for the last 3 or 4 hours for the guy's without dogs. It is interesting to watch, guy's without a dog hunt with a dog. There is a learning curve to trust the dog.
Day 4
Air temps 12 degrees with some wind. Feels colder than 14 below. Down to three of us Jonnyb, Britchaser and myself. Really enjoyed the day. We started in a large cattail patch several hundred yards long. Man there was a ton of birds in there. Dogs were working hard. I had a gun issue and finally got it fixed and whiffed on one. I then was able to get a couple down. We went back to the first tree belt and walked through to push birds out to the grass. We then split up in the grass with me taking the left side with the dog. He was real hot and flushed several hens. We got to the end by the road, and he crossed the fence and marked a bird. He is cool to watch. Tensed up, standing tall with tail wagging furiously. Up jumps a rooster off to my left. That shot is my nemesis. I miss the first shot and dump him with the second. By that time dog is on my side as the rooster makes a run for the road. Dog is on him and the both go through the barb wire. Dog has a couple of nice wounds on his face, but otherwise ok. 2pm and I am done for the day.
Overall an epic hunt for me. It had everything including cold weather, good dog work, snow, birds and I shot well
Was able to get my dog on about a 150 yard blind retrieve which was cool
Watching my buddies jack russell terrier getting lifted off the ground by a flushing pheasant. All and all a great december hunt. Can't wait till next year.
Ps birds are down, last two years in same area probably saw 4k plus birds with a couple of 1k plus flushes. This year probably 5-600 on the hole trip. Boo hoo Funny in the field it was at least 3or 4 to one hens. On the roads almost all cocks. We saw maybe 100 roosters in one 2 mile drive one evening. Sorry about the long post.
Ps Springer I did find some snow that would hold my fat arse for a minute. I made it about ten steps before I fell through.
Almost looks like a point huh?
Day 1
Left home for SD at 4:30 am. Was a little sad as my long time hunting partner had to back out last minute as his mother needed emergency surgery. Arrived in Jones county at around 1:30. It was a good sign as I had to slow down several times to avoid pheasants in the road. I changed into some hunting clothes and headed out solo with the dog. The others that were joining me, would not be there yet. The dog and I walked a couple of small patches with only a few hen flushes. We then entered a small draw of tumbleweed. The temps were 20 degrees and falling. There was 4 inches of snow and it started snowing again. As we entered the draw a couple hens popped, then two roosters. I shot like crap my last trip, but not today. I dumped one to the right and one to the left. At the sound of my shotgun all hell broke loose with a 30+ bird flush. Because I still had not retrieved both birds, I refrained from shooting again. The dog brought both birds back and we continued on. When we got to the end a single bird rose and I dumped him in the milo stubble. Three birds with three shots, been awhile for me. The temps really started to drop then. Great way to start.
Day 2
Woke up to -15 air temp
Thankfully light winds. The others had joined me so we now had a group of 5. We decided to hit a shelterbelt where I had seen 20-30 birds the afternoon before. I took the middle with the dog and the others the sides with two blockers at the end. About half wat through all hell broke loose. I watched 250+ birds blow out the middle. Hard to do with only five guy's. Pretty cool to watch. We got a few that were tight, so we decided to walk back through. We made it back to the trucks, and decided to take a little break. It was something to watch my dog go back into the trees and flush at least four more hens out. I told one of the guy's he should go back down cause you know a rooster is coming. About that time up pops a rooster which is promptly missed. Finally the dog had had enough and caught a live rooster and brought it up to us. Pretty good stuff.We then split up and worked some grass out where many birds had gone. 5 man limit at 11:30. Kinda early but it was still -7 so not too much complaining. We cleaned birds had some lunch then went out exploring. If you have never seen the habitat over by reliance and kennebec it is pretty darn awesome. Mile after mile of shelterbelts, food plots and great looking land. It was great to see. There must have been birds cause we saw a ton of eagles. They need to cut down those single trees by draws, they look like death traps.
Day 3
Temp 8 degrees and sunny. Great day to hunt with light winds. We started in another honey hole around a small pond. We needed to push birds out so we could hunt them in the grass and cattails. Last year there were a ton of birds there, but with numbers down, I was skeptical. We were suprised to find 150 or so. We shot a few then headed to the cattails where they always go. We hunted the cattails for quite awhile getting a few birds. Early on I hit one twice that wobbled and wobbled, but wouldn't come down. I watched him glide several hundred yards, we would go down and look for him later. After the cattails, we started hunting some drifted over grass. My dog had one pinned in a clump in front, he flushed going away to my right. I dropped him and he landed in a crusted drift. As he scrambled along the drift, the dog tore after him along the driftline. I love watching a dog with a strong prey drive. He was sinking in the crusted snow to his shoulders, while the rooster was running along the top. After 60 or 70 yards, not to be denied, he caught it. He was really huffing when he finished the retrieve. I wish the ding-dong that says Labs have no stamina could have seen that. We then turned where I had seen the other bird land from the cattails. The dog found him under a drift and brought him to me. I was done shooting for the day, so I enjoyed working the dog without a gun for the rest of the day. JonnyB and myself became tour guide for the last 3 or 4 hours for the guy's without dogs. It is interesting to watch, guy's without a dog hunt with a dog. There is a learning curve to trust the dog.
Day 4
Air temps 12 degrees with some wind. Feels colder than 14 below. Down to three of us Jonnyb, Britchaser and myself. Really enjoyed the day. We started in a large cattail patch several hundred yards long. Man there was a ton of birds in there. Dogs were working hard. I had a gun issue and finally got it fixed and whiffed on one. I then was able to get a couple down. We went back to the first tree belt and walked through to push birds out to the grass. We then split up in the grass with me taking the left side with the dog. He was real hot and flushed several hens. We got to the end by the road, and he crossed the fence and marked a bird. He is cool to watch. Tensed up, standing tall with tail wagging furiously. Up jumps a rooster off to my left. That shot is my nemesis. I miss the first shot and dump him with the second. By that time dog is on my side as the rooster makes a run for the road. Dog is on him and the both go through the barb wire. Dog has a couple of nice wounds on his face, but otherwise ok. 2pm and I am done for the day.
Overall an epic hunt for me. It had everything including cold weather, good dog work, snow, birds and I shot well
Was able to get my dog on about a 150 yard blind retrieve which was cool
Watching my buddies jack russell terrier getting lifted off the ground by a flushing pheasant. All and all a great december hunt. Can't wait till next year.
Ps birds are down, last two years in same area probably saw 4k plus birds with a couple of 1k plus flushes. This year probably 5-600 on the hole trip. Boo hoo
Funny in the field it was at least 3or 4 to one hens. On the roads almost all cocks. We saw maybe 100 roosters in one 2 mile drive one evening. Sorry about the long post.Ps Springer I did find some snow that would hold my fat arse for a minute. I made it about ten steps before I fell through.
Almost looks like a point huh?
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